UEFA has made the decision to send home Spanish referees Alejandro Hernández Hernández and Jesús Gil Manzano from Euro 2024 following complaints about their officiating. Hernández, who was serving as the VAR official, faced backlash for his decision to dismiss Scotland’s penalty claim in their 1-0 defeat to Hungary last Sunday. Meanwhile, Manzano was criticized for his error during France’s 1-0 win over Austria.
In addition to the two referees, their assistants, Diego Barbero Sevilla and Ángel Nevado Rodríguez, have also been dismissed. This leaves Martínez Munuera, a VAR official, as the sole Spanish representative for the rest of the tournament.
Former La Liga referee Iturralde Gonzalez has urged the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to improve its relationship with UEFA, especially after four of the five Spanish officials were dismissed following the group stage. “There is an urgent need for a Spanish representative on the refereeing committee,” Gonzalez stated in an interview with Spanish radio network Cadena SER.
In other news, Argentine referee Facundo Tello, who dismissed Scotland’s penalty protests against Hungary, has been appointed as the fourth official for Italy’s last-16 match against Switzerland on Saturday, despite earlier reports suggesting UEFA had dropped him.
Scotland’s manager Steve Clarke expressed visible frustration after his team was denied a penalty when Stuart Armstrong was brought down in the box by Willi Orban. Tello dismissed the penalty claim, and lead VAR Hernández did not recommend a review. Clarke remarked, “In a European competition, it might have been better to have a European referee. But we had European VAR. Maybe the referee didn’t see the challenge clearly on the pitch, but what’s the purpose of VAR if they’re not going to intervene on something like that? It’s a penalty. It’s 100 percent a penalty.”
Austria also voiced their dissatisfaction with Manzano’s officiating in their 1-0 loss to France, particularly after they were not awarded a corner shortly before Max Wöber’s own goal secured the victory for Didier Deschamps’ team.
UEFA’s decision to remove Spanish referees Alejandro Hernández Hernández and Jesús Gil Manzano from Euro 2024 highlights the organization’s commitment to maintaining high officiating standards. The dismissals, prompted by complaints about their performance in crucial matches, underscore the importance of accountability and precision in refereeing at such a prestigious tournament. This move, while controversial, aims to preserve the integrity of the competition and ensure fair play for all participating teams.
IN BLOG: Kylian Mbappe Returns From France With A Broken Nose
Spain’s Coach Sees Reflection in Italy Ahead of Euro 2024 Clash
One thought on “UEFA Dismisses Two Spanish Refrees From Euro 2024”